


Off-Piste

by forthedefenseyourhonor



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Pre-Canon, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-05-25 12:14:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6194758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forthedefenseyourhonor/pseuds/forthedefenseyourhonor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Is "skiing trip AU" a thing? If it is, then that's exactly what this is and, if it isn't, consider this fic the beginning of my campaign to make it a thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Matt paused in running his fingers over his criminal law notes and flexed his hands, allowing his mind and senses to wander briefly beyond the confines of the dorm room. Clean fall air drifting lazily through the open window brought with it the scent of roses and cut grass and the sounds of students brave enough to take their lunch outdoors into the weak sunshine. The breeze rolling up from the Hudson was gentle but was beginning to turn cold as a stark reminder of the looming winter. Two floors below, the door to the block had been propped open with a chair to compensate, Matt assumed, for the lack of air conditioning on what would probably be one of the last warm days of the year. His heart skittered slightly as the familiar sound of Foggy's bouncing footsteps on the gravel walkway met his ears. Foggy was on the phone but Matt didn't like to intrude on Foggy's privacy when it was possible to avoid it and so he didn't listen in to hear details of the conversation. He retuned to his notes but continued to half-listen to Foggy's footsteps as he made his way into the block, pausing at the open door to let a group of girls past. Among the background noise, the slight screech of metal on metal told him that Foggy had remembered to check the mail and would most likely be making his way upstairs with a fistful of envelopes and flyers. Seemingly no matter how hard he tried, Foggy could not get into the habit of checking the mail box regularly and so, on occasions that he did, there was often at least two weeks worth of junk mail to sort through before getting to anything of interest. Matt could count the number of letters he'd received in his entire life on one hand and so never bothered to check the mail at all.

Foggy reached the third floor and practically bounded from the top of the stairs on to their corridor. He had clearly concluded his phone call in the stairwell and was now humming what Matt would generously identify as a "tune" as he leafed through the small pile of mail in his hands. Matt moved his fingertips over the last sentence of his page of notes just as Foggy's key turned in the lock and the dorm room door swung open.

"Hey, buddy."

"Hey."

Foggy absent-mindedly dropped onto his chair and threw his bag onto the bed as he continued reading what Matt thought was probably a take-out menu. Suddenly drawn out of his reverie, he swivelled to face Matt.

"Hey! So, I just got off the phone with my cousin..."

Excitement bubbled in Foggy's voice, the way it always did when he had devised some scheme for the two of them. His plans usually involved alcohol and girls that they both agreed were well out of their league. Smiling, Matt turned to face him.

"Oh, yeah? Which cousin?"

The Nelson family tree was sprawling and although Matt had met a good portion of what Foggy described as "the extended brood" during Christmas and summer visits to Foggy's house he was never sure when a new relative might be thrown into the mix.

"Jodie, you met her over summer."

Matt screwed up his face trying to place the name.

"New Jersey accent? Very talkative?"

Foggy laughed, "Matt, that describes about half my family!"

Matt laughed. He could remember Jodie now; she had been wearing a sequinned top when Matt had met her that made a distinctive slithering sound as she moved that he could recall clearly. He squirmed a little. Both of them had been slightly more drunk than was probably generally acceptable at a family gathering and in an attempt at flirting Jodie had allowed Matt to run his fingers over the various parts of her outfit and guess what they were made of. However, Foggy had stumbled in and interrupted before the touchy-feely flirting had gone beyond the point of no return. Fortunately he had also been relatively drunk and seemed to not remember walking in on Matt running his hands through Jodie's hair...either that or he was pretending not to for Matt's sake.

"She works in the library right?" Matt said after a moment, aiming for a casual tone but definitely falling short of the mark.

"Yeah, she does."

Matt knew then that Foggy had been pretending not to remember Matt's last encounter with Jodie. He was definitely smirking.

"So," Matt cleared his throat, "how is she?"

"Well, as I'm sure you'll be disappointed to hear, she's got a new boyfriend."

Matt pursed his lips slightly and nodded. He had enjoyed Jodie's company but the flirting had definitely been a by-product of the summer heat and cool beers. He liked Foggy far too much to risk the probable fallout from dating one of his relatives. He didn't need to be able to see Foggy to know that there was a smug grin plastered across his face. Resisting the urge to lob a pillow across the room lest difficult questions arise, Matt reclined and opened his palms slightly indicating that Foggy should continue.

"Anyway, this guy's family owns a chalet out in Colorado and he wants her to go for a weekend of skiing but I don't think my aunt is crazy about the idea of her going away alone with a dude she's only been dating a month," Foggy said quickly, "so she called to ask if we wanted to go, y'know, as chaperones or something."

"Foggy," Matt scoffed, "I'm not even sure where to begin with explaining what a horrible idea that is!"

Foggy made to interrupt, but Matt overrode him.

"For starters, I don't imagine for a moment that Jodie would actually want either of us there on what could otherwise be a romantic weekend. Second, we're broke law students; how on earth do you intend to get hundreds of miles across the country with no money? And, most importantly," Matt gestured to his own face, "I'm blind, Foggy. Something tells me that being able to see where you're going is probably instrumental in navigating your way down a mountainside on two thin strips of wood."

"OK, rebuttal," Foggy stood up and rocked on his heels in the same we he did before delivering closing arguments in their mock trials. Matt tried to maintain a stony expression but found himself smiling against his will as Foggy considered his counterpoints.

"I'm like ninety percent sure that my aunt has said Jodie can't go unless she takes someone with her, and it's either take her mom or us. We're obviously the logical choice and once we're there we can just keep out of their way anyway! Plus this guy sounds super boring, he studies comparative literature or something over in the arts school here, so we can be the comic relief!"

Matt cocked one eyebrow and inclined his head.

"To address your second point: that was the first objection I raised with Jodie but apparently my uncle has said he'll use his air miles to pay for flights so she's not going alone. Literally the only expense will be food and booze!"

Foggy paused to draw breath. Matt raised both his eyebrows this time; Foggy had clearly thought of all eventualities and Matt could feel the net closing around him.

"And finally," he continued, "I am well aware that you are blind but do I seem like the kinda guy who goes skiing!? Hell no, but it's a free vacation to ski resort which will undoubtedly be filled with hot, rich people and I wanna be a part of that! C'mon, Matt!"

Foggy was pleading with him slightly now.

"It'll be fun, I promise. And besides, you could definitely do with getting away from your work for a weekend. You're gonna, I dunno," Foggy flailed his arms in thought as he cast around for a study-related malady, "You'll strain your fingertips with all that reading!"

Matt gave a small laugh and removed his glasses to rub at the bridge of his nose. He paused to consider a moment. He was well ahead with his work at the moment and probably could afford to take a little time off, but he wasn't sure he wanted to spend that time trapped in a small wooden cabin in the Rockies with Foggy's cousin and her new rich boyfriend.

"Ah, I don't know, Foggy," he said replacing his glasses now, "When does she want to go?"

"Next month."

Distracted, Foggy ran a hand through his hair. His hand jerked slightly as his fingers reached the ends, which were now sitting about 4 inches higher than they had a week previously. Foggy had clearly not yet adjusted to the shorter and more easily-tamed length he had opted for in case of potential interviews. Matt's heartbeat fluttered slightly as he caught a hint of Foggy's shampoo on the air. He had found the constant presence of the artificial strawberry scent infuriating when they had begun living together but now it was part of the familiar sensory tapestry that made up his home. Matt let out a long breath through his nose.

"Fine, we'll go."

"Yes!" Foggy clapped his hands in excitement, "I knew you couldn't resist, Murdock!"

Matt smiled and spun himself back towards the notes on his desk as Foggy bounded across the room, phone in hand, to go and give Jodie the good news.


	2. Chapter 2

Flights were booked, supplies were bought, and bags were packed. True to his word, Foggy’s uncle had paid for their flights with air miles he insisted weren’t going to be used for anything, not that this stopped Matt feeling guilty about accepting them. Foggy’s excitement about the trip had been becoming increasingly palpable in the weeks before they were due to leave but a gnawing anxiety had begun in the pit of Matt’s stomach. He had never flown anywhere before and was not convinced it was an experience he would have enjoyed even before the addition of his heightened senses. He had hoped that researching the effects of air travel on the senses would put him at ease, working on the basis that if he knew what was coming he would be able to prepare, but this strategy had completely backfired and the descriptions of how unpleasant the pressure changes during take-off and landing were had redoubled his fears.

The morning of their departure arrived, bringing with it steely gray skies and bitter winds. Foggy’s dad had agreed to get up at the crack of dawn to ferry them to and from the airport where they would meet Jodie and her boyfriend and so, yawning, Matt and Foggy crammed their bags into the trunk of the car and sat quietly as they moved through the city. Matt was glad that conversation was thin on the ground. His palms were clammy and his stomach was turning. He hoped dearly that his breakfast wouldn’t be making a reappearance. Breathing deeply, he tried to think about something else. The soft, slow breathing in the front seat told him Foggy had fallen asleep, his head lolling slightly as the traffic ebbed towards the airport. Matt imagined the gentle rise and fall of Foggy’s chest as he slept and let his own breathing fall in time with Foggy’s. By the time they pulled in to the drop-off point he no longer felt quite so sick and even managed a wan smile as they said their thankyous and goodbyes to Foggy’s dad.

“Ready?” Foggy beamed.

The corner of Matt's mouth twitched, giving a shadow of a smile.

“Just about.”

He had confessed to Foggy the previous evening that he was nervous of flying, though with the obvious omission of his worries about cabin pressure and recycled air on his highly-tuned senses. They made their way into the terminal building before Foggy stopped again and glanced around.

“Foggy! Hey, Foggy!”

Jodie’s voice reached Matt’s ears before Foggy’s and so tugged gently on Foggy’s sleeve and inclined his head in the direction it had come from. Jodie was upon them before Foggy had taken more than two steps, pulling the both of them down into what felt like a headlock but was evidently meant to be a hug.

“Alec, this is Foggy – well, _Franklin_ really, but only his mom calls him that – and Matt, his roommate. Matt and Foggy, this is Alec.”

Matt smiled and extended his hand, felt the missed beat as Alec moved his hand to meet Matt’s when he realized they weren’t going to meet halfway, and returned the firm handshake. The skin of Alec’s hands was soft and had a faint, fresh citrus smell.

“Hey,” he released Matt’s hand and shook Foggy’s, “It’s good to meet you both. You ready to get checked in?”

“Yep, lead the way!” Foggy grinned.

Matt made a small noise of agreement and allowed himself to be led towards the check in desk. They joined a queue snaking its way through a maze of barriers and shuffled incrementally closer to the check in. The knot in his stomach was growing tighter again so he remained close by Foggy’s side and only half-listened to the excited conversation taking place between his travelling companions. He was not keeping track of time but eventually they were checked in and moved through into the departure lounge. Foggy insisted on stocking up on alcohol and candy and so a large chunk of time was given over to debating the pros and cons of different brands of chocolate and whether or not there was _really_ any difference between Grey Goose and the cheap vodka Foggy regularly bought from the liquor store. Alec was in the middle of paying for a variety of bottles of expensive branded spirits (he and Foggy had agreed to disagree and Foggy had bought a litre of the cheapest vodka he could find) when priority boarding for their flight was called. Matt was having to work hard now to keep his breathing from becoming shallow and erratic.

“Hey,” Foggy sounded concerned, “You OK, buddy?”

“Uh, yeah. I think,” Matt’s voice sounded somewhat strangled.

“You’re gonna be fine,” Foggy smiled, and he sounded so genuine that Matt almost believed him. “I’m going to be right next to you, pal. Available for any hand-holding, cuddling, or any other comfort you may require.”

Matt’s stomach flipped in a way that he was almost certain was not related to the impending sense of doom brought on by their approach to the gate and he managed a dry smile. There was no one else waiting when they arrived and so they were ushered immediately along the gangway. The flight attendant chatted happily to Foggy as they walked though Matt remained in stony silence until she had showed them to their seats. Having booked their tickets separately, Matt and Foggy were seated away from Jodie and Alec. Foggy took the window seat whilst Matt collapsed his cane and manoeuvred himself into his seat. Foggy glanced around, taking note of where the others were sat, and then turned back to face Matt.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low as he closed his hand around Matt’s.

Matt gave a gentle squeeze and took a deep breath. The air was as stale as he had predicted but at least it was cool. Other passengers began to file slowly onto the plane and moved into their seats. Matt kept his hand in the warmth of Foggy’s, running the pad of this thumb distractedly over Foggy’s knuckles. He could hear the plane being refuelled and the luggage being noisily thrown into the cargo hold and he was vaguely aware that Foggy was watching him. They sat quietly as the seats around them filled with people laughing and talking excitedly. Matt remembered suddenly about the foam ear defenders he'd brought along and so dug around in his pocket to fish them out. He let go of Foggy’s hand somewhat reluctantly to insert them into his ears. The sounds reaching him now were softened and distant, though he heard Foggy scoff lightly next to him.

“Nice to know what you think of my conversational skills, buddy.”

Matt gave a short laugh.

“I can still hear you, Foggy.”

Foggy made to reply but was cut short by the beginnings of the safety announcements. Matt was handed what he assumed was a small braille version of the safety information cards the passengers were being advised to familiarize themselves with but he tucked it into the seat pocket in front of him and tentatively offered his hand back towards Foggy. The rumble of the plane engines and ear defenders prevented him from hearing Foggy’s heartbeat and it would be comforting to be able to feel the steady pulse instead. Foggy took his hand again without hesitation, interlocking their fingers. Matt’s heart, already thundering, leapt a little. The plane jolted into motion and began its taxi away from the terminal building.

“Hey, buddy, it’s gonna be all right,” Foggy’s voice was warm.

Matt gave a slight nod, he didn’t feel able to manage a smile, and they sat in silence as the aircraft moved into position. Foggy was peering out of the window. His pulse was strong and his hand was warm in Matt’s. All too soon, the plane reached the end of the runway and the engines had fired up ready for take-off. The jets screamed and the world seemed to stand still momentarily before Matt felt himself being pushed back into his seat by the sudden acceleration. Everything around him was drowned out by an overwhelming assault on his senses. Matt tried to breathe deeply and focus. Distantly, as though his hand was no longer quite connected to the rest of his body, he could feel Foggy’s heartbeat; a constant and familiar comfort. He could not pick any other details out of the mess of sensations reaching him and so he concentrated on Foggy, shutting out as much of the background as he could as though he were meditating. Gradually, his breathing slowed and the sense of panic began to ease. His world on fire began swim back into shape again as he picked out the signals being received by each of his senses. He felt the change in pressure in his ears and swallowed pointedly to counterbalance it. Suddenly he was aware of how his jaw was clenched and how tightly he was clenching Foggy’s hand. The plane began to level and so he loosened his grip.

“How’re you doing?” Foggy asked, leaning in.

“Uh, yeah, I’m OK,” Matt turned slightly to smile at him. “Not so bad after all.”

“See? I told you it’d be fine!” Foggy gave his hand a light squeeze before letting go and leaning away slightly, peering out of the window. “Man, the clouds always look so cool from up here...”

He launched into a detailed description of the surreal scene outside the window and Matt listened eagerly, letting the sound of his voice resonate through him and paying little attention to anything else taking place around them. He smiled, feeling as though there was nothing in the world he couldn’t conquer with Foggy by his side.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter is kind of boring...I didn't really feel like I could leave out something that seemed like it would affect Matt so much but travelling doesn't exactly make for exciting reading! I promise things are going to get more interesting from here on out!


	3. Chapter 3

The temperature was already beginning to fall rapidly by the time they arrived at the chalet and so they hurried indoors as quickly as possible, Matt gripping Foggy's arm tightly as they crunched and slipped through the snow. The inside of the cabin smelled of pine and woodsmoke and it was already warm; Alec had offhandedly informed them that their regular cleaner had come to get the place ready for them, including stocking the fridge and cupboards, and Foggy had barely suppressed a derisive snort.

"So, you guys are in here," Alec pushed open the door to one of the bedrooms and stood aside to let Matt and Foggy pass him. "Anything else you need, just ask."

He moved away, following Jodie with their bags into the other bedroom. Foggy made a small noise in the back of his throat as he stopped just inside the doorway.

"What's up?" Matt asked, keeping his voice measured though he could now tell what the problem was.

"Uh, well there's only one bed..." Foggy let his voice trail off.

"I'll take the couch," Matt said maybe too quickly, offering a smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," and Matt's smile broadened slightly now, "It'll probably be lighter in there and that's far less likely to affect my sleep than yours."

He dropped his bag to the floor and held out his hand for Foggy's arm.

"You wanna help me get to grips with this place?"

"Sure, buddy," Foggy smiled and led Matt back out of the bedroom.

They moved slowly around the open-plan living room and kitchen, Matt allowing his cane to run across the wooden floor and over the edges of the thick rug and taking in the positions of the legs of the couches and table. He didn't need the guided tour of the space, but Foggy's descriptions of the dark colour of the wood panelling and the abstract modern art on the walls and other little details filled in the gaps that Matt's senses could not and so it was an experience he relished. Foggy deposited him on the larger of the two couches and rummaged in the fridge for beers. Matt heard him pop the caps from two bottles and smelt the hoppy scent before Foggy nudged the back of his hand with the cold glass as he sat down. They sat quietly for a minute, Foggy looking around the room. In the bedroom, Matt could hear Alec and Jodie talking quietly but, unwilling to intrude, he swung his focus back to his more immediate surroundings. He was midway through taking a sip from the bottle when Jodie reappeared, bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet in much the same way that Foggy did.

"Hey, so what are you guys thinking of doing this evening?"

"Uh," Foggy turned his head towards Matt slightly, "I don't know. Why?"

Jodie perched on the corner of the other couch and leaned in, lowering her voice.

"Well, Alec said something about cooking this evening but I think he wants to do something...y'know, romantic–"

Matt raised his eyebrows somewhat involuntarily and next to him he heard Foggy disguise a huff of laughter. He could feel that there was heat rising in Jodie's cheeks and the angle at which her head was cocked meant she was most likely fixing them both with a withering look.

"Anyway," she continued, "I was hoping I might convince you guys that you really wanted to go out for the evening..."

Foggy let out an exaggerated sigh.

"OK, but you owe us! It's cold out there."

Matt chuckled.

"You're the best!" Jodie jumped back up and placed her hand briefly on Matt's shoulder as she passed on her way back out of the room.

"I guess we ought to go get dressed for the elements then," Matt said, still smiling.

He and Foggy finished their beers and then headed into the bedroom to find sweaters and hats and scarves. They emerged a few minutes later to say goodbye to Jodie and Alec who were chopping vegetables in the kitchen.

“Hey, we’re gonna head out. See ya later.”

“You guys know where you’re going?” Alec asked, pausing in chopping an onion.

“Just back down the road we came in on, right?” Foggy replied, one hand on the door knob.

“Yeah, uh, hang on,” Alec dropped the knife and edged around Jodie. He opened a drawer, fished out a set of keys, and threw them to Foggy who caught them deftly, despite his woolly mittens. “Y’know, just in case you’re back late or whatever.”

Foggy smiled and they said their goodbyes before venturing out into the cold of the evening. They made their way slowly along the snowy sidewalks discussing what they both fancied for dinner, eventually deciding that the most important factor was that it was cheap. They lapsed into silence for a few steps before Foggy launched into what he had clearly been wanting to say since they left the cabin.

“What do you think of him, then?”

Matt shrugged and considered an answer for a moment. As Jodie and Alec had stood closely together in the kitchen he had heard their heartbeats, light and rapid in time with one another, the skin on their cheeks and necks flushed with warmth. He had not paid much attention to Alec at the airport, being somewhat preoccupied with his own sense of sheer panic, but he and Jodie were clearly happy in each other’s company and he supposed that should be enough to satisfy Foggy’s protective instincts.

“He seems nice,” he offered lamely, “Jodie seems really happy.”

“Yeah, she does,” Foggy mused, “He’s just a bit...I dunno...”

“Pampered?” Matt suggested, raising an eyebrow.

Foggy laughed.

“I was gonna say ‘he seems like a spoiled brat’ but, yeah, that’ll do.”

Foggy chortled some more and then brought them to a halt outside of what Matt judged to be a diner. Matt stood quietly by his elbow as he scanned the menu.

“Burgers and cheap beer, sound good?”

“Always,” Matt smiled.

Foggy pulled the door open and held it, placing his hand in the small of Matt’s back to guide him into the warmth. They took a seat in a booth and began peeling off layers of wool and fleece before they started sweating in the overwhelming heat. Foggy grabbed a laminated menu and began reading the drink options off for Matt. They had been doing this for long enough now that their routine was well practised. Matt smiled to himself at the familiarity of it. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to Foggy’s eagerness to help him and he certainly wanted to make sure he would never take his presence for granted. The waitress wandered over after a few minutes and they ordered cheese burgers and local beers. Foggy huffed and started his usual mantra of bemoaning how much work they had to do and how hard he was going to have to work to make up for taking a long weekend to fly out here. Matt smiled slyly to himself as he accepted his beer from the waitress and listened contently as Foggy continued on.

 

* * *

 

One beer in the diner had led on to several more. And then the diner had led on to the bar next door, and that one had led to the bar further along the street. Before either of them really knew what had happened, they were very drunk and it was closing time. Matt and Foggy staggered along the sidewalk, barely supporting one another, arms entangled and both catching their breath from laughing. Foggy had his face screwed up attempting to do an impression of Alec, but he couldn’t hold it and burst into renewed laughter.

“You know,” Matt gasped, regaining his composure slightly, “We probably shouldn’t be so harsh on the poor guy. We are staying here _for free_.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Foggy chortled, managing to get his breathing back under control. “I guess I kinda thought there was something going on with you and Jodie in summer though. Y’know, I _know_ you and you’re nice.”

Matt let out an exasperated sigh.

“Foggy, that was just–” he cast around for exactly what it was he wanted to say, “It was just flirting. Plus, I like you way too much to date someone else.”

Foggy jerked to face him and Matt heard his heart rate jump. It was a couple of moments before his brain caught up with his mouth. Immediately he felt heat rush to his cheeks and he began to stammer.

“I, uh, I just mean, y’know, you’re my friend and I wouldn’t want to –” he swallowed “– jeopardize that, y’know, dating your cousin.”

He paused, trying to gauge Foggy’s reaction.

“Oh, yeah?” Foggy laughed though Matt could hear his heartbeat still hammering away as they made their way back towards the chalet. “You’re such a softy, Murdock!”

He laughed again and Matt forced himself to join in, feeling he had dodged a bullet very narrowly there. Foggy stopped them at the foot of the steps up to the front door and rummaged in his pockets to find the keys. They swayed on the bottom step for a moment and then the pair of them staggered upwards, shushing each other loudly. Giggling, Foggy turned the key in the lock and the door swung inwards. Neither of them had realized how cold they had been outdoors until they were back in the warmth of the cabin. They moved quietly into the bedroom and Matt began to leaf through his bag, optimistically hunting for case notes to read in the morning in case he woke up before everyone else.

“Hey, Foggy, can you find me a blanket for the couch?” he whispered loudly whilst Foggy perched on the edge of the bed, stripping off his socks.

“Pfft,” he lobbed the balled-up socks at Matt’s head, though they missed by at least two feet, “Screw the couch, this bed’s big enough for both of us.”

“Foggy-” Matt started but he was interrupted.

“C’mon, it’ll be freezing out there by morning. Stop being a baby and get over here.”

Foggy patted the patch of bed beside him. Ignoring the very small remaining sensible part of him that was screaming that this was an awful idea, Matt stood up unsteadily and moved to where Foggy was sitting. He flopped down onto the bed beside him, wriggled out of his jeans, and scooted across the bed and under the covers.

"Jesus, Murdock, no one ever teach you any manners?" Foggy groaned, standing up and moving across the room, "Just because _you_ can sleep with the lights on doesn't mean the rest of us can."

They laughed and Foggy flipped the light switch as Matt fumbled for the bed side table to rest his glasses on. He heard the rustling of Foggy taking off his pants and felt a twinge of something that might have been guilt in the pit of his stomach. Before he had time to dwell on it, however, Foggy had virtually thrown himself down into bed beside him. Whilst Foggy had _technically_ been right that the bed was big enough for both of them it wasn't exactly roomy.

"Shove over," Foggy mumbled into his pillow, his voice already thick and drowsy.

Matt obliged and rolled onto his side but tensed immediately as he felt Foggy shuffle in close behind him and drape an arm loosely around his waist.

"G'night, Matt," Foggy breathed.

"Night, Foggy."

Foggy's breaths were deep and slow and tickled across Matt's shoulder blades. Matt tried to match his breathing with Foggy's and slowly he felt the tension seep out of his shoulders. He began to drift towards sleep and shifted a little, allowing himself to rest against the warmth and softness of Foggy's body. Foggy snuffled softly into the nape of Matt's neck and coiled an arm more tightly around his chest. Content and warm, Matt accepted that he would face whatever consequences the morning would bring and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My actual notes are at the end of the chapter but they are very slightly spoiler-y for season 2 so if you haven't watched it all yet then this is fair warning to avoid them!
> 
> Also a quick thanks for all the comments so far :) you're all wonderful!

Matt came to very slowly. It felt as though someone had left his brain out in the sun to shrivel and the clattering of dishes and cutlery taking place in the kitchen sounded as though someone was ringing a hammer on an anvil about 3 inches away from his ears. He was too-warm and clammy and so wriggled one of his legs free of the covers in an attempt to cool off. The movement caused a strand of Foggy’s hair to fall into Matt’s face and with a start he remembered where he was. The decision not to sleep on the couch came swimming back to him now. They had obviously rolled over in the night from the position they’d fallen asleep in. Matt was pressed closely against Foggy’s back, his right arm was curled underneath his pillow, his left lying across Foggy’s belly which was rising and falling slowly in time with his breathing. As more of his senses began to catch up with his re-entry into the conscious world, Matt realised his erection was pressing into the bottom of Foggy's spine through his underwear. He liberated his arm from the pillows and rolled quickly away onto his back. The rapid motion made the room and his stomach spin and he groaned again, pressing his knuckles into his eyes. Beside him, Foggy stretched and gave a low whine before twisting to face him.

"Morning, sunshine," he said groggily.

"Good morning, Foggy."

"There is absolutely nothing 'good' about the way I'm feeling," Foggy grunted and rolled onto his back so he and Matt were lying side by side. " _You_ seem to be feeling pretty perky though..."

Matt gave a noise of despair and felt his cheeks burning. He hadn't realised Foggy had been awake before him.

"Shit," Matt muttered, "Foggy, I'm so sorry."

Foggy laughed, his heartbeat light and fluttering. Matt's cheeks were burning.

“Well, who could blame you, buddy? I am _quite_ the specimen.”

He carried on chuckling as he heaved himself upright, running a hand through his hair. Matt was willing the mattress to swallow him whole.

“Hey,” Foggy said, clearly spotting Matt’s pained expression and shoving his shoulder lightly, “It’s nothing to beat yourself up over. I know you’re not, like, into me or whatever.”

He swung his legs off the edge of the bed and hung his head for a moment. Matt opened his mouth to speak but wasn’t sure what exactly it was he wanted to say. ‘ _Yes I am, and I have been for a long time’_? He closed his mouth again and sat up slowly, bringing his knees up to meet his chin. He tilted his head slightly, testing his hangover. Unsaid things hung in the air for a moment before Foggy stretched upward, letting out a soft groan, and then stood up.

“Sounds like those guys are already up and making breakfast – shall I go see what’s on the menu?” Foggy's heart was beating loudly, filling Matt's ears and causing his own pulse to race, but his tone gave nothing away and he brushed past any remaining awkwardness in the way that only he could.

Matt grimaced as his stomach gave a particularly worrying lurch.

“I think I’ll just stick with coffee, thanks.”

Foggy chuckled and pulled on a pair of pants.

“Suit yourself, buddy.”

Stretching again, Foggy ambled out of the room and pulled the door softly shut behind him. Matt sighed and flopped back down onto the bed, one arm covering his face. He could still feel the heat radiating from his own cheeks and the feeling of shame burning in his stomach – although how much of that could be attributed to last night’s alcohol consumption, he wasn’t sure. He ran a hand over the covers, smoothing them down over his hips and surreptitiously confirming that he had regained control of his parasympathetic nervous system. He lay quietly for a few minutes, listening to the opening and closing of cupboard doors in the kitchen and letting the sounds of the others' voices wash over him, not troubling to pick out exactly what was being said. Eventually he sat up and shuffled across to the edge of the bed just as Foggy re-entered the room, bringing with him the smell of bacon, eggs, and freshly brewed coffee.

“Here ya go – one black coffee to cure what ails you!”

He pressed a warm mug into Matt’s outstretched palms. Matt smiled and thanked him. He felt Foggy’s eyes moving over him and sipped his coffee simply for something to do. He savoured the bitterness as it rolled across his tongue. It was hotter still than he might have liked but the heat was somewhat cleansing and he felt his head begin to clear slightly. Foggy had bundled himself up on a plump armchair tucked into the corner of the room with his own coffee balanced precariously between his knees whilst his thumbs patted rhythmically against the screen of his phone.

“You decided against breakfast then?” Matt asked.

“It’s still being cooked but there was some pretty heavy-duty flirting going on out there so I thought I’d leave ‘em to it,” Foggy chuckled.

He clicked the lock button on his phone and dropped it gently into his lap, watching Matt take another gulp of coffee.

“So, do you think you and your hangover can handle skiing today?”

Matt gave a small hum of laughter.

“Foggy, I’m not even sure I can manage standing up right now, let alone flinging myself down a mountain on a pair of skis.”

Foggy let out a relieved sigh.

“Oh, thank _god_ , I feel like death warmed up and I’m not sure I could safely navigate myself down a ski slope, let alone acting as your seeing-eye-ski-instructor as well.”

They both laughed.

“So what is there to do at a ski resort if you’re not skiing?”

Foggy gave a shrug as he took a long daught of his coffee. Matt caught a burst of the rich sugary smell that was part of Foggy’s signature: cream and two sugars.

“I just shrugged,” he said, placing the mug on the dresser to his right, “I say we head up to the ski lodge, get a hair of the dog, and see where the day takes us. Standard Murdock and Nelson adventure – what do you say?”

“What could _possibly_ go wrong?” Matt smirked and took another gulp of coffee as Jodie’s voice announced breakfast from the next room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's taken me forever to get this pitifully short chapter finished because honestly I was heartbroken after I finished season 2 and just couldn't bring myself to think about Matt and Foggy for a little while. I've published this and am hoping that I'll get back into the swing of things a little more once I start writing a new chapter because I miss writing! 
> 
> I feel that it's probably also time to confess that I've literally never been skiing in my life (it's a somewhat long story involving previously-broken limbs and, therefore, an inability to get sufficient health insurance to cover a ski trip) which is why there's basically going to be no actual skiing in this fic...I'm mainly aiming for chalet cuddling and possibly some hot tub related antics...apologies to anyone hoping for actual skiing...I guess your only hope would be that someone else with actual skiing experience might take inspiration and write their own version!


	5. Chapter 5

In the end, most of the day passed in much the same way that their hungover days in New York did: some strips of painkillers, a continuous flow of coffee, and a crappy movie on the TV. Not long after breakfast, Jodie and Alec had left hand-in-hand to head to the slopes. They had said their goodbyes, leaving Matt and Foggy sprawled across a couch apiece. At some point after they had eaten some lunch, Matt had dozed off with the warmth of the sun falling across his face. He had awoken to Foggy prodding him in the side and demanding Matt lift his legs so he could sit beside him. Matt obliged and then, still only half awake, let his legs rest across Foggy's thighs. He drifted in and out of sleep for a while, becoming gradually more cognizant of his surroundings each time he awoke. As he came around, he became aware of Foggy's hand resting lightly above his knee, the other balancing a cup of coffee on his shin. He inhaled deeply and stretched; arching his back and taking care not to upset the coffee in Foggy's hand.

  
"Welcome back, sleeping beauty," Foggy smiled.

  
He gave Matt's leg an almost-imperceptible squeeze that made his stomach flip. Matt yawned, aware that the sun was no longer on him and that he was cold.

  
"What time is it?" he stifled another yawn, "how long have I been asleep?"

  
"'Bout half four. You've been asleep a couple of hours but luckily I've had a High School Musical marathon to keep me entertained," he finished on a slightly sarcastic note.

  
Matt chuckled and Foggy turned his head back towards the TV, evidently enjoying it's fare more than he was willing to let on. Foggy sipped at his coffee and Matt took the opportunity to wriggle into a more upright position. He figured now that he was awake he should probably stop draping himself across his best friend but Foggy stopped him as he made to move his legs.

"Don't move, you're acting as my blanket here."

  
Matt smiled broadly, feeling a warmth in his chest.

  
"Glad to know there's a concrete reason for you keeping me around."

  
"Yep, I'm only here for your hot bod."

  
Matt mouthed silently as Foggy turned his head to face him, heat creeping up into his cheeks.

  
"Y'know, because you're so warm," Foggy chuckled.

  
Matt gave a small forced laugh but was saved from having to think of a response by the sound of footsteps and a key turning in the lock.

  
"Hello!" Jodie called in a sing-song voice as she and Alec stepped indoors and began removing their various layers.

  
Matt could feel the heat of the room being sapped by the coldness they had brought from outside. He was very conscious of the two of them looking at where he and Foggy were essentially cuddling on the couch but Foggy's coffee cup was on his shin again and he couldn't switch positions without risking spilling coffee into his friend's lap.

  
"How was the skiing?" Foggy asked, twisting his neck awkwardly to peer over the back of the couch to where Jodie and Alec stood.

  
"Good fun!" Alec replied and Jodie nodded fervently beside him, "I think we're gonna get changed and make an early dinner. Ran into some friends earlier and they invited us out later. You guys are more than welcome to come, if you fancy it."

  
Jodie elbowed Alec in the side at this and Matt judged that they were sharing the kind of meaningful look that people used to try and communicate things non-verbally. Foggy had turned away from the door, not willing to keep his neck cricked uncomfortably, and so was unaware of this surreptitious interaction. He glanced at Matt.

  
"I don't know about you but I think I'm getting too old to take two nights of drinking in a row. I'm still feeling pretty fragile."

  
Matt nodded distractedly. Jodie and Alec were now seemingly having some kind of silent discussion that seemed to involve them mouthing words at one another and gesticulating. Jodie pointed towards the bedroom and made ushering movements.

  
"Well, suit yourselves," she said cheerfully, the two of them making their way across the room now. "We're just gonna get changed."

  
Matt was intrigued. His general rule was not to nose into people's conversations if he could avoid it but he felt that if he was the suspected subject of the conversation then he could bend the rules a little.

  
"You don't mind do you?" Foggy asked. "Y'know, not going out with them..."

  
"Uh, no, not at all."

  
Matt smiled and Foggy turned back to the TV. He could hear Jodie and Alec rustling through suitcases in the next room.

  
"We should go out and leave them here, there's clearly something going on," Matt picked out Jodie's carefully measured whisper with little effort. "I mean, they're practically in each other's laps in there."

  
Matt shifted very slightly. Foggy's arms were resting, folded, on top of his legs now.

  
"OK, but you can't force something to happen just because you think it should, Jodie," Alec hissed from the other room.

  
"And I'm not going to!" Jodie's sentence was punctuated by the sound of a woollen sweater being pulled over her head. "That's what I'm saying - we go out, leave them here, maybe point them in the direction of the hot tub, and see what happens!"

  
The two of them giggled quietly and Matt felt a definite flush creeping up his face. His focus was snapped back into the front room by Foggy's voice.

  
"You OK, buddy?"

  
Matt became aware that he was frowning slightly and relaxed his face.

  
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

  
He smiled and heart Foggy's heart beat ever-so-slightly faster. The TV announcer informed them that High School Musical 3 was about to start and, despite his earlier protestations, Foggy showed no intention of switching channels. He shuffled slightly closer to Matt, who wriggled back into the same almost-horizontal position he'd fallen asleep in and allowed his mind to wander to thoughts of Foggy and the hot tub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long since I last updated this, I've been busy writing my prompt for the [Foggy Nelson Lovefest](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FoggyNelsonLovefest2016) fic exchange which goes live next week! The big plus of writing the prompt (aside from getting to get stuck in to some angsty Foggy-centric fic) is that I've got my motivation back for writing so I hope I'll be updating a little more regularly soon!


	6. Chapter 6

This whole thing had definitely seemed like a better idea in his head. Matt stood nervously shivering as the wind licked around the edge of the door frame he was hovering in. The hot tub was bubbling away, water vapour pouring from the surface and away into the cold night air and bringing the tang of chlorine to Matt’s nostrils. His heart was pounding and the swig of vodka he’d taken in an attempt to calm his nerves had not sat well with his stomach. Foggy’s footsteps sounded behind him.

“Stand aside, Matthew!”

Matt dutifully stepped away from the doorway and tactfully back into the house instead of out onto the decking. Foggy bustled past, the clinking of bottles in his arms muffled by the plush towels he’d dug out of a linen cupboard whilst Matt had undressed. Neither of them had thought to bring swim trunks on a ski holiday and so had compromised by stripping down to their boxers. Foggy had jokingly suggested skinny dipping; they had both laughed though the spike in Foggy’s heart rate made Matt think that he had maybe Foggy wasn't quite kidding. Matt continued to linger indoors as he heard Foggy unloading the bottles of beer onto the table and hanging the towels on the back of a chair.

“C’mon then, Murdock, no time like the present,” Foggy held his arm out to guide Matt towards what was likely to be certain disaster. Tentatively, Matt took hold of Foggy’s elbow and allowed himself to be walked out onto the decking.

“One step, your twelve o’clock, about a foot off the ground,” Foggy’s voice gave nothing away.

Matt lifted his right foot, found the step exactly where Foggy had said it would be and then felt his way to the edge of the hot tub. He paused.

“You promise you’re coming in as well?”

He tried to keep his voice light but the question came with a note of vulnerability.

“As if I’d miss out on the chance of close contact with semi-naked, wet Matt Murdock. The good people of Columbia Law would never forgive me!”

Matt smiled and swung himself into the warm water. He found himself pleasantly surprised at the sensations created by the bubbles and jets of water rippling across his skin. He’d never been much of a fan of sitting around in water; pruned fingertips were no good at all for reading braille and, even with his enhanced senses, there was something about being naked, or thereabouts, in a tub of water that made him feel incredibly exposed. As promised, Foggy hopped into the tub after him and Matt felt the water level rise infinitesimally around his chest.  Resting an elbow on the rim of the tub, Matt let one hand float on the surface of the water, allowing the sensation of individual bubbles and water currents caressing his hand to drown out his other senses momentarily. He enjoyed doing this sometimes; channelling all of his focus into one of his senses and _really_ feeling every miniscule detail that his heightened senses would allow. He could feel which currents of water had passed most recently over the heating element and which were merely eddying at the surface. A movement caused water to lap over the back of Matt's hand and his more immediate surroundings were dragged back into focus. Foggy was hanging over the edge of the tub, reaching for two bottles of beer. He swung back into the water and held a bottle in Matt's direction.

"On your left, buddy."

Matt reached out and found the bottle.

"Hold fire, I gotta open it first."

The water sloshed about them again as Foggy snatched the bottle opener from the table and put a hand around the neck of Matt's beer bottle. Their fingers brushed together as Matt heard the familiar hiss and pop of the bottlecap followed immediately by the sharp, bright smell of an imported beer. Foggy cracked his own bottle and then clinked the neck against Matt's.

"To skiing," he said fondly.

"To skiing," Matt repeated, smiling before taking a long draught.

After a moment, Foggy lowered his bottle and smacked his lips.

"I could get used to this, y'know."

"What? Skiing? You know, I don't think we've actually got a fantastic grasp on the whole skiing part."

Foggy laughed and Matt felt a warmth spread through him the way it always did when he drew a laugh from his best friend.

"Yeah, you're probably right, but I mean I could get used to _this_ ," Foggy waved an arm, gesturing at the no-doubt scenic view laid out in front of them.

"I'm doing some grandiose waving at the scenery, by the way. This is the life though, Matt. In a hot tub with a good beer in my hand. Admittedly, the situation could be improved if I wasn't having to wear boxers with little dinosaurs all over them but at least the company's decent."

Matt could hear the broad, genuine smile in Foggy's voice and he returned it. A moment of comfortable silence passed between them in which Matt listened to the gentle wind whistling through the tops of pine trees and the constant bubbling of the water and Foggy's heartbeat, rapid but constant.

_C'mon then, Murdock, no time like the present._

"So," he punctuated his sentence with a swig from the beer bottle, his own pulse uncomfortably quick now, "I'm intrigued by these dinosaur-patterned boxers. Tell me more..."

Matt finished with flash of a grin, hoping desperately that the effect was charming instead of sinister.

"Well, who wouldn't be intrigued by the thought of a grown man in dinosaur underwear?"

Foggy chuckled and titled his head in Matt's direction.

"They're blue with little navy dinosaurs all over. Mom bought them for me for Christmas," he shrugged. "I might have brought some nicer ones if I'd have known the hot tub was on the cards."

"Not much point in wasting your fancier wares on a blind man. I would never have known about the dinosaurs without touching them.”

Matt kept his face resolutely straight and took another sip of his beer. He could feel the heat rising in Foggy’s face and hear the increase in his heartrate as he fumbled for a witty response. They were sat close together in one corner of the tub. Matt relaxed his leg, allowing his knee to rest against Foggy’s thigh, gently enough that Foggy could move away if he wanted. He didn’t. He had stopped fumbling for an answer.

“Well the offer’s there, if you want it.”

Foggy’s voice was even and almost defiant, as though it was a challenge. The hammering of Foggy’s heart filled Matt’s ears and seemed to reverberate through his own chest. Matt twisted to face Foggy and sunk his empty hand under the rippling surface of the water. His arm felt as though he were dragging it through treacle; this was wrong, wasn’t it? This wasn’t how friends treated friends…but what if they both wanted it to be more than that? His hand hovered above Foggy’s knee for a heartbeat. The possibilities that followed this moment sprawled out in Matt’s mind, unravelling and flowing like so many threads and ribbons. Here and now, this was what he wanted. He let his palm fall onto Foggy’s leg, his skin temperature almost indiscernible from the water moving around them. The hairs on Foggy’s thigh were soft and swayed gently with the currents as Matt moved his hand slowly towards where he knew the hem of the boxers sat. Index finger met with woven cotton and Matt brought his thumb up and over the fabric. As promised, the pad of his thumb found a crude outline of a dinosaur printed just above the seam. He became aware of how close they were now, only inches apart. Foggy gave a short huff of laughter and Matt faltered.

“Your glasses are all steamy.”

Before Matt could react Foggy had reached up and gently lifted the glasses from his face. He wasn’t entirely sure why he’d worn them into the tub in the first place. He heard the arms of the glasses snap together and the soft click of metal frames on the plastic rim of the tub. Matt let his palm fall to rest on Foggy’s thigh again and gave a gentle squeeze. A slight hitch of breath and then Foggy was moving closer, a steady hand placed on Matt’s shoulder, moving up his neck and pulling him closer. Every nerve in Matt’s body felt as though they were on fire; his senses had given out on him and he was only aware of his own heart thundering in his chest. He tumbled forwards and suddenly his lips found Foggy’s, warm and soft. They hesitated, broke apart, took a breath and fell back together. Foggy ran his tongue along Matt’s lower lip, sending a shiver down his spine and bringing the world around him rushing back into focus; the smell of Foggy’s hair, clean and fresh, and the heat rising in his cheeks, almost as hot as the water surrounding them. Against his own lips, he felt Foggy’s curve into a smile and couldn’t help but smile back. Matt let himself slide slowly away though left his hand where it sat on Foggy’s leg.

“You know, I think this means I might owe Marci some money,” Foggy chuckled, his voice low and husky.

“Oh, really?”

“She told me you had the hots for me; I told her she was delusional," he shrugged, "I think I said I’d give her fifty dollars if you ever so much as pecked me on the cheek, so I don’t know how much I’ll owe her for whatever that was.”

They both laughed and Matt rubbed his thumb gently against the grain of the hairs on Foggy’s leg.

“Well, I guess the joke’s on her because we both know you don’t have fifty dollars.”

Foggy threw his head back in laughter.

“I _did_ have fifty dollars before we oh-so-unwisely decided to spend all last night out drinking.”

He took another sip of beer and then yawned, stretching and arching his back slightly. Matt felt the muscles in Foggy’s thigh tense beneath the skin.

“Hey,” Foggy cleared his throat and his hand came to rest on Matt’s forearm, “I know from, like, teen movies that hot tubs are definitely meant to be romantic and-”

Matt scoffed.

“- _and_ I will admit that my intentions may have been less than pure when I strong-armed you into this but, as it turns out, my fingers and toes are pruned and my top half is kinda chilly…do you wanna take a rain check on the hot tub and go get under a blanket instead?”

“Absolutely.”

* * *

 

Five minutes later they were warm and dry, tucked up in the slightly-too-small bed lying face to face, legs tangled together beneath the duvet. It was new and unfamiliar and at the same time nothing had ever felt more at ease between them. Foggy’s hands moved over Matt’s thighs, across his ass, and up over his stomach and chest. Matt mirrored the movements, drinking in the details his touch provided; the curve of Foggy’s belly and the softness of his skin, the goosepimples that raised along his side as Matt’s fingers traced along his ribs and the short breath from Foggy’s nose as he tried not to giggle. Matt lost track of the time they spent there, talking and kissing and getting to know one another all over again. Long after they had heard the others arrive home, heard their quiet footsteps and hushed tones as they moved to the other bedroom, Matt found himself drifting towards sleep. Beneath his head, Foggy’s chest rose and fell gently. His heartbeat was loud in Matt’s ears but it was steady and strong and comforting. Matt shifted and laid an arm across Foggy’s midriff; Foggy closed his arm around Matt’s shoulders, pulled him closer and gave a contented sigh. Matt closed his eyes and was asleep in moments.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god it has taken me SO LONG to update this, I'm sorry! It took me a long time to figure out where I thought this was going to go. There's possibly another chapter to come after this...it kind of depends on whether or not my motivation keeps up.  
> For anyone interested, [these](http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=1&langId=-1&productId=24771984&Ntt=dinosaur&pageSize=20&defaultGridLayout=3&Nty=1&CE3_ENDECA_PRODUCT_ROLLUP_ENABLED=N&productOnlyCount=1&catalogId=33056&Dy=1&pageNum=1&productIdentifierproduct=product&x=0&y=0&storeId=12555&qubitRefinements=siteId%3DTopManUK) are essentially what I'm imagining Foggy wearing in this situation.


	7. Chapter 7

The early morning sun crept through a crack in the curtains and slowly made its way across the thick rug on the floor before sliding up on to the bed and settling in a bright beam across Foggy’s face. He blinked and squinted slightly in the dazzling light. Matt, all scrunchy-faced and scruffy-haired, lay heavy and fast asleep across his chest. Even sleeping Matt didn’t look totally at peace: his brow ever-so slightly furrowed, his jaw tense. Beneath the covers his legs were wrapped tightly around Foggy’s, clinging on as though his life depended on it. Foggy smiled to himself and stifled a yawn. As he came back to his senses a little more he became aware of a soft prickling moving slowly from his fingertips up to the palm of his hand. Obviously Foggy was somewhat acquainted with the defined muscles borne of Matt’s not-so-secret late-night gym sessions, but he had never considered quite how damned _heavy_ that would make him. He was painfully aware now, however, and the gentle prickling was rapidly becoming a sharp stabbing sensation as Matt’s shoulder cut off any possible supply of blood to his left arm.

“Hey,” Foggy shifted slightly. “Morning, buddy.”

Matt inhaled deeply and nuzzled at Foggy’s collarbone before blinking slowly and mumbling something that might have been a “ _good morning_ ” into his neck. The tickle of breath across his Adam’s apple made Foggy momentarily forget about the loss of sensation in his arm as it sent a shiver down the length of his body.

“Matt, you muscle-bound asshole, get _off_ me.”

Foggy twisted and wriggled himself free which resulted in Matt being turfed slightly unceremoniously onto the mattress. He gave a small whine as he stretched. Foggy sat up and gave his arm a gentle shake in the hope of restoring some feeling, though what he actually got was an unpleasant increase in the prickling pain which had now reached his elbow.

“Well, good morning to you too," Matt stretched again. "What was that rude awakening for?”

He propped himself up on one elbow and made a fruitless attempt at flattening his hair.

“You were cutting off my circulation, I’m fairly certain I was only minutes away from losing my whole arm to tissue death.”

Foggy raised his eyebrows and tried to give his best stern glare in Matt’s direction.

“I’m staring daggers at you, by the way.”

Matt gave a soft snort of laughter and Foggy gave in to a short burst of giggles.

“You have my sincerest apologies.”

A lazy smile broke across Matt’s face. Foggy let his eyes roam across the man in front of him. His hair, despite Matt’s best attempts, sticking up in about twenty different directions at the crown; the soft skin of his midriff stretched taut across washboard abs of the sort Foggy hadn’t been sure existed outside of men’s health magazines; and the light dusting of stubble gracing his well-defined jaw. Matt’s gaze lingered somewhere around his chin as a moment of silence extended between them. Foggy thought suddenly, and slightly absurdly, how glad he was he’d gotten rid of that stupid soul patch before any kissing had ever occurred between them. Matt ran a hand up Foggy’s torso, inching over the soft curve of his belly, before tracing all the way up to his jaw. Matt’s smile grew a little broader as he followed his guiding hand towards Foggy’s face and landed a lingering kiss on his lips. Still, when he pulled away it was sooner than Foggy might have liked, and Foggy was sure he knew it. Matt’s expression had changed subtly as he reclined again and there was definitely an air of smugness about him.

“How’s your arm doing there, counsellor?”

Foggy flexed his hand. The pain had receded and there was now only a slight tingling at the very tips of his fingers. He heaved a dramatic sigh.

“I think I’ll live.”

Matt gave a low chuckle and then rolled over, reaching for his watch on the bedside table.

“What time is it? When do we need to get ready to leave?”

Foggy found his phone first and tapped at the screen. He groaned.

“It’s just before nine. I think Jodie said we needed to be on our way by 12.”

Matt made a small satisfied noise.

“Plenty of time then,” he said, that smug grin firmly back in place.

“For?”

With a surprising agility for someone who had only been awake for two minutes, Matt pushed himself up from the bed, swung his leg over both of Foggy’s and landed firmly straddling his thighs.

“Whatever you want.”

His lips found Foggy’s neck, soft and warm, followed by the gentle scratch of stubble as Matt kissed along his jaw. Foggy’s mind was racing. This was real. They stayed there together, between the sheets and in the warm sunlight now streaming in through the crack in the curtains, until a call from the kitchen broke through the magic of a slow morning and brought them back to a more mundane reality.

Breakfast was eaten, bags were packed, and a taxi called. Foggy observed the knowing glances that passed between Jodie and Alec on their journey back to the airport as he and Matt sat close together and talking and laughing, but he did not care. He felt elated, as light as air, not even the thought of the many thousands of words worth of assignments that awaited him back at New York could tarnish this moment. They boarded their flight and took their seats. Matt offered his hand, smiling, and Foggy took it. They were headed home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to write a short little chapter set the morning after the night before from Foggy's point of view and it came out as the CHEESIEST THING EVER. I'm sorry, but also not sorry at all.   
> I also completely chickened out of writing anything vaguely smutty and for that you have my sincerest apologies.


End file.
